(1) Field
The systems and methods relate generally to search systems and methods, and more particularly to efficiently locating and accessing information across a communications network such as the internet.
(2) Description of Related Art
The internet provides a single conduit to reach a supplier of a product or information that can be located, in some cases, throughout the world. One challenge for internet customers or consumers, and hence internet businesses, is knowing the suppliers to contact, and how to gain proper access to the suppliers. The success of commerce on the internet therefore depends on customers' ability to locate products and/or information easily and quickly; however, industry statistics indicate that over seventy percent of potential customers to internet websites leave the websites without finding their desired product(s)/information. This result is not desirable for the website in generating profits directly through internet sales, or indirectly through advertising revenue.
First generation techniques for finding products and/or information on the internet were advertiser-based and listed websites, rather than individual products. Second generation techniques involved aggregating product and other information from multiple supplier sites (product catalogs) at online shopping malls or business-to-business “vortals” to allow consumers to access consolidated listings across multiple suppliers. It is anticipated that the next generation supplier networks may dynamically access information from relevant suppliers in response to a buyer's requirements and present only the suppliers and products that precisely meet the consumers' needs.